Pitman connection.



[fr/fr C. L. WEMPLE. PITMAN CONNECTION.

nrLIoATIoN FILED 00T. zo, `190e.

918,717. i Patented Apr.20, 1909.

rra s'rnfrfns PATENT orrron cRoWELL L. WEMPLE, or n1LLoN,MoNTANA.

5.; f `LPI'LMAia CONNECTION. Y

E' Specification of Iletters atene. Patented April eo, 1909.

Application rled October 20, 1906. ASerial No. 339,890.

^ up the wear of the bearings, and adapted to be secured in coupled or engaged relation through movement of a single lever.

The preferred details of construction vof the present invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a plan view of myjimproved pitman connection, the parts being shown in cooperative relation: Fig, 2'i`s a similar view with the parts shown in open relation. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section, partly in elevation showing the pitmanconnection engaged with a projection from the cutter bar of a mower or the like.

Referring particularly 'to the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, 1 represents the pitman rod provided at one end with the members 2 and 3 forming the parts of the pitman connection. These members are generally similar in construction, each comprising an elongated strip 4 designed to be secured to one side of the pitman rod, and extended beyond the adjacent end of the pitman and terminally provided with an approximately semi-cylindrical head 5. One of the members, as 2, is inclined on the relatively innerface to overlie an adjacent inclined face of the pitman rod, the member 2 being thickened in that portion overlying the inclined surface of the thickened and inclined portions extending in advance of the end of the pitman rod, the member 2 in advance of the thickened portion being formed with an' inwardly offset abutment 20. The other member, as 3, is extended beyond the free end of the rod in a portion of approximately equal thickness with that portion secured to the rod, said member being thickened in advance of said portion of 'equal respective members.

thickness to provide an abutment 21 alinin with the abutment 20 of the member 2. lgf desired the side edges of the member 3 from the lie'ad` to a point inwardly beyond the outer edge of the pitman rod 1 may be provioled with side edges 22, as shown in Figs. l an 2.

The members 2 and 3 are secured to o posing sides of the pitman rod, as cleary shownin the drawings, the heads of the respect'ive members being disposed in transverse alinement beyond the proximate end of `the.rod.j The end of the rod towhich the members 2 and 3 are connected is reduced in widthfa's at, to provide a s ace between the end Ofjthe pitman rod and t e strips 4 of the The reduced portion of the lrod 'extends for some distance from the end thereof, thereby providing for independent lateral movement of the relatively forward ends of the strips 4.

lmmediatelyforward ofthe end of the pitman rod one of the members of the connection, as 2, is thickened at 7 and formed with a transversely arranged threaded opening 8, the other member 3 being formed with a similaropening 9 alining transverse the connection With the opening 8. A bolt 10 is passed throughthe openings' 8' and 9, being threaded at 11 for' engagement with the threads of the opening 8, the remainder of 'the bolt being plane to provide for longitudinal movement relative to the member 3.

' Thebolt 10 projects beyond the member 3 and is pivotally connected to an operating lever 12. The lever at the point of connectiony with the bolt is formed with a cam head 13, eccentrically pivoted to the bolt, a convenient means of connection being provided by forming the head 13 with a longitudinally disposed slot within which the bolt is mounted. The relatively outer surface of the member 3 surrounding the opening 9 is squared at 14 to provide for cooperation of the cam head of the lever.

It is to be understood that the cam head of the lever is of such size that when the lever is operatedto move the operative point of the cam head into engagement with the squared surface of the member 3, said members 2 and 3 will be forced together, causing the heads 5 to approach each other.

In operative position the handle end of the lever 12 will rest against the relatively outer surface of the member 3, asshown in Fig. 1, and to... guard against independent lateral movement oi the lever when in this position, I provide the end of the lever 12 with a notch l5, designed to embrace a pin lpprojecting from the surface ofthe member 3.

In the present instance the heads 5 are shown as interiorly eoncaved, as at 17, whereby to snugly embrace a ball 18'forming a terminal of an operating rod 19 leading to the cutter bar or other portion of the machine to be operated by the pitman. It is to be understood ofcourse, that the head 5 may be of appropriate shape to engage the end of the machine part to be operated, the present form of heads being shown for convenience.

The lever 12, in addition to serving as a means for securing the members in coupled relation, provides also a means whereby the members may be relatively adjusted. rihe latter function is gained by connecting the lever directly to the bolt 10, so that the bolt may be readily turned to adjust it in the threaded opening 8 in the member 2, thereby increasing or decreasing the relative degree of movement of the respective members under the influence of the operating lever. To avoid lateral movement of the lever, with consequent tendency to turn the bolt 10, the lock, including the notch 15 and pin 16, is provided. By this construction When the lever is in operative position, it is locked against lateral movement, and therefore, the lever forms a means for clamping the connecting members 2 and 3 in engaging position While at the same time locking the ad justing bolt against accidental movement.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

The combination With a pitman rod having the opposing surfaces of its free end inclined toward each other, of a pitman connection including members secured to said opposing sides of the rods, each of said members projecting beyond the free end ofthe rod, one of the members being extended beyond the free end of the rod in a portion of approximately equal thickness with that portion secured to the rod,` said member being thickened in advance of said portion to provide an abutment and being formed in advance of said abut ment with a hemispherieal projection, the opposing member being thickened in that portion overlying the adjacent inclined face of the rod, said thickened portion extending in advance of the end of the rody and being inclined on its relatively inner surface to eorrespond to the inclination of the rod end, said member being loi-med in advance ol the thickened portion with an inwardly ol''sct abutment to aline with the abutment of the iii-st mentioned member, and in advance ol" said. abutment with a hemispherical portion to aline with the hemispherieal portion ol the first mentioned member, that portion of the iirst member immediately in advance of the rod being formed with an opening of smooth bore, the thickened portion of the second member being formed with a threaded opening alined with the opening of the irst member, a bolt slidably mounted. in the smoothbore opening and threaded for connection with the threaded opening, a lever having a bifurcated end to straddle one end ol the bolt, the relatively inner edges of the portions of the lever on opposite sides of the bolt being of cam formation to engage the outer surface of one member and force said member toward the opposing member, and means carried by one of said members to engage the free end of' the lever and secure the same in operative position.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CROVVELL li. llf'lMPlilC. Witnesses PEARL S.Si\11'rir, K. ALLEN. 

